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Blues and Jazz in New York City This Week - May 13-May 20

Music fans in NYC can find all the latest blues and jazz shows and performances in City Guide's calendar. With newer venues like Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola joined by world-famous classics like the Village Vanguard and Birdland, you'll find jazz from hard bop to progressive. The blues also live in NYC, at great spots like Terra Blues.

Will Downing's voice is one of the most distinctive, loved and instantly recognizable voices in R&B. His flawless, emotive, buttery-smooth and agile honey-toned baritone, along with his impeccable phrasing and jazz-fueled agile runs, seamlessly bridge the worlds of R&B and Jazz. Downing's sophisticated and always-cool sensibilities have proven to be timeless and have garnered him the role as the reigning king of romantic ballads. "I pinch myself everyday because I can't believe that after all this time I'm still making music for a living," shares the charismatic singer/songwriter. "19 albums and 28 years of recording later and I'm still blessed. Truly Blessed!!" Shanachie Entertainment will release Black Pearls (July 8, 2016), Downing's highly anticipated CD and his first full-length album in six years.

The Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra is a performance driven program that gives talented and dedicated young jazz musicians the opportunity to perform regularly in one of New York City's leading jazz clubs often with guest artists from the New York scene. The visiting guests give a workshop to the band members in addition to providing the experience of playing with the top musicians on the scene. On Sundays during the school year, the students rehearse and workshop in the room before opening the doors at 1:00pm and giving a concert that is free and open to the public at 2:00pm.

Led by pianist John Melendez, Big Sur is a contemporary jazz group that performs primarily original music inspired by artists such as Pat Metheny, Brad Mehldau, Ambrose Akinmusire and Vijay Iyer. John Melendez is a New York-based Jazz pianist studying performance and composition at Columbia University. His main influences are Jason Moran and Wynton Kelly, as well as his teacher Bruce Barth. John Melendez

Ms. Lisa Fischer is stepping into the spotlight at last. After four decades of singing background for icons like the Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, and Nine Inch Nails, Lisa is finally offering her own humble, heartfelt song, accompanied by her inventive new band Grand Baton. The breakout success of the Oscar-winning documentary Twenty Feet from Stardom (2013) altered the course of Lisa's musical journey. Featuring clips of Lisa's 1991 Grammy-winning R&B hit "How Can I Ease The Pain" and her legendary duet with Mick Jagger on "Gimme Shelter," and glowing testimonials from famous colleagues like Sting, Patti Austin, and Chris Botti, the film showcased her virtuosity and vulnerability, earned her a second Grammy award, and left audiences eager to see and hear more. "Ms. Fischer has become the unexpected star of Mr. Neville's film," said the New York Times. Lisa set out on tour with no recordings or video to help book and promote shows, headlining first in small clubs then at the Newport and Monterey Jazz Festivals, then at concert halls in major cities. In performance, she draws from an eclectic palette of influences, putting her stamp on Led Zeppelin and Little Willie ... (read more)

B's Bees is excited to announce the release of not one, but two albums in early 2018. Their first 2018, a tribute to the great Charlie Haden, and aptly titled "Dear Charlie", has been selling strongly since it's Jan. 2018 release, and reached #4 on iTunes Canada's Jazz Charts. The album contains compositions from the various eras of Charlie Haden's illustrious career, and includes several selections from his Liberation Music Orchestra repertoire, arranged in a new and exciting way. Their second 2018 release, titled "Kanata" is set to be released on April 20. The album contains a suite written by bandleader Brandon Goodwin titled Kanata Suite, and is an ode to his home country of Canada. This U.S. tour will be their second foray into the country, the first taking them from Montreal, to New Orleans, to work with producer Delfeayo Marsalis, before heading back to Montreal to record their two new records. For their performances on this tour the group will be performing a mixture of music from both of their new albums. www.bs-bees.com https://www.facebook.com/Bs-Bees-450946311601731/ https://www.instagram.com/brandonsbees/

Ron Carter is among the most original, prolific, and influential bassists in jazz. With more than 2,000 albums to his credit, he has recorded with many of the music's greats: Tommy Flanagan, Gil Evans, Lena Horne, Bill Evans, B.B. King, the Kronos Quartet, Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery, and Bobby Timmons. Ron Carter is among the most original, prolific, and influential bassists in jazz. With more than 2,000 albums to his credit, he has recorded with many of the music's greats: Tommy Flanagan, Gil Evans, Lena Horne, Bill Evans, B.B. King, the Kronos Quartet, Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery, and Bobby Timmons.

Broadway's Jennifer Sanchez makes her Green Room 42 debut in "Gin and Jazz." Join her in an evening of new jazz arrangements from shows she has performed in on Broadway. Featuring new takes on music from "West Side Story," "Sunday in the Park with George," "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", and a set of Jennifer's original music. Also featuring Mike Hunter on violin and Marianna Ramirez on percussion.

For as much as the story of HER is about tragedy and triumph, it's really about two friends — Victor Solf and Simon Carpentier. While still in school, the half-German Victor and the French Simon met in 2007, bonded like long lost brothers, started making music together equally informed by old school soul a la Otis Redding and post-Yeezus hip-hop, and formed HER in 2015. Success followed as the breakout "Five Minutes" soundtracked Apple's "Shot on iPhone" campaign and eventually generated over 6.7 million Spotify streams. The duo released a pair of EPs Her Tape #1 and Her Tape #2, spawning fan favorites such as "Quite Like," "Union," and "Her" and amassing over 20 million cumulative Spotify streams. Merging artfully seductive and provocative visuals and dreamy newer wave pop with a jazz undercurrent, the boys crisscrossed the globe in support of the EPs, including making waves stateside. In the middle of it all, unbeknownst to anyone but those closest to him, Simon lost a long, quiet, and arduous battle with cancer in August 2017 "The last year was very hard, because Simon wasn't doing well," admits Victor. "It was tough for him to tour, but he felt like it was important to... (read more)

When the imposing talents of one of today's most versatile Latin Jazz artists meld with the organic richness of some of the world's greatest cultural melting pots, the results are guaranteed to be as fresh and virtuosic as they are revealing and magical. Alegria, Urban Latin Jazz Portrait is a celebration of the diversity and richness of Latin-American Culture and music. Inspired by Lain popular dance, Samuel Torres combines music styles like Cumbia, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Boogaloo, and contemporary Latin urban with Jazz traditions.

The wait is over, DaCrowdPleaSeR is here!, if you want entertainment you come to the right place I'm not a Singer, not a Rapper- not even an entertainer Ladies and Gentlemen and especially ladies BruffdaCrowdpPleaSer is a CULT FIGuRE!!

Direct from Rio, Brazilian legendary singer, composer, and guitarist João Bosco makes a rare New York City appearance with his band. Early in his career Bosco combined his distinctive guitar style with the sounds of Bossa Nova and American jazz. He teamed up with lyricists Vinicius de Morais and Aldir Blanc and became a star on the Brazilian music scene when his songs were recorded by Elis Regina and others. Bosco has since recorded more than 30 albums and performed at all the major venues around the world.

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(3/20-3/27) Looking for what to do in New York? We've got the latest on all the goings-on in NYC this week, from concerts to museum exhibitions to comedy to the best in city sightseeing. Read on for our picks for the best of this week in New York City. click here